Insert Coin semifinalist: Snapzoom connects any scope to any smartphone

There are adapters out there that allow you to hook up your phone with a telescope or a pair of binoculars. Most of them, though, aren't universal. And we mean that on both sides of the equation -- they wont connect to all scopes or all phones. Snapzoom wants to be all things to those with a hankering for long distance photography, such as bird watchers or amateur astronomers. The solution is so simple that it actually stuns us that no one had thought of it before. That's not to say there isn't a lot of smart design involved, but ultimately the Snapzoom boils down to a set of adjustable clamps that provide an incredible amount of freedom. While image quality will rest largely on your choice of smartphone, there's no shortage of incredible shooters out there that you can slide into the mount.

Check out the full list of Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists here -- and don't forget to pick a winner!

Filed under: Peripherals

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/insert-coin-semifinalist-snapzoom/

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CBT: Maine women's hoops' bus in serious crash

A charter bus reportedly carrying members of the Maine women?s basketball team was involved in a serious crash along Interstate 95 in Georgetown, Mass., NBC affiliate?WHDH in Boston is reporting.

From WHDH:

Massachusetts State Police said preliminary investigations suggest the charter bus was driving southbound when it crossed the median and crashed into woods adjacent to northbound side. State police said 22 students believed to be from University of Maine basketball teams have been transported by ambulance to area hospitals for either minor injuries or precautionary evaluation.

According to the report, the driver of the vehicle suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries and was airlifted to?Boston Medical Center after being pulled from the wreckage. A police cruiser was struck by another vehicle while leaving the scene, but the driver was reportedly not seriously injured.

Updates will be added as they become available.

UPDATE 26 February, 2013, 10:39 p.m. ET

According to Andrew Santillo of?The Record in Troy, N.Y., an America East spokesperson said that ?all players are coaches are okay,? and only suffered ?minor injuries.?

Photo via WHDH

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at?JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John?s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_

Source: http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/26/bus-carrying-members-of-maine-womens-basketball-team-reportedly-involved-in-serious-accident/related/

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Obama warns spending cuts could idle shipbuilder

President Barack Obama addresses the National Governors Association in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama addresses the National Governors Association in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, accompanied by fellow members of the House GOP leadership, responds to President Barack Obama's remarks to the nation's governors earlier today about how to fend off the impending automatic budget cuts, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama is arguing that looming government-wide spending cuts could idle military resources like naval aircraft carriers, while Republicans are criticizing the president for taking his arguments outside Washington instead of staying to work out a plan before Friday's deadline.

The president planned to appear Tuesday at Virginia's largest industrial employer, Newport News Shipbuilding, which would be affected by cuts to naval spending. Obama warned Monday that if the so-called sequester goes into effect later this week, the company's "workers will sit idle when they should be repairing ships, and a carrier sits idle when it should be deploying to the Persian Gulf."

Obama urged Congress to compromise to avoid the cuts, but there has been no indication the White House and congressional Republicans are actively negotiating a deal. The last known conversation between Obama and GOP leaders was last week, and there have been no in-person meetings between the parties this year.

Obama wants to replace the sequester with a package of targeted cuts and tax increases, while Republican leaders insist the savings should come from reduced spending alone.

The sequester was designed as an unpalatable fallback, meant to take effect only if a congressional super-committee failed to come up with at least $1 trillion in savings from benefit programs.

The White House has warned the $85 billion in cuts could affect everything from commercial flights to classrooms to meat inspections. The cuts would slash domestic and defense spending, leading to forced unpaid days off for hundreds of thousands of workers.

The impact won't be immediate. Federal workers would be notified next week that they will have to take up to a day every week off without pay, but the furloughs won't start for a month due to notification requirements. That will give negotiators some breathing room to keep working on a deal.

But the White House is highlighting the impending job losses to drum up public support for a solution. In Virginia alone, the White House says, about 90,000 civilians working for the Defense Department would be furloughed for a cut of nearly $650 million in gross pay. The White House also says the sequester would cancel maintenance of 11 ships in Norfolk, as well as delaying other projects around the area.

The Navy has already delayed a long-planned overhaul of the USS Abraham Lincoln at Newport News Shipbuilding as a result of the budget uncertainty, and other plans call for delaying the construction of other ships.

Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, chair of the House Republican Conference, criticized Obama for traveling to southern Virginia rather than up the street to Capitol Hill to come up with a solution.

"We need the president to stop campaigning for higher taxes, come back here to Washington, D.C., and lead," McMorris Rodgers said during a news conference Monday with GOP leaders.

Obama was traveling Tuesday with two Virginia congressmen, Democrat Bobby Scott and Republican Scott Rigell.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., offered a potential way out of the stalemate Monday by indicating he was open to raising tax revenue if Obama offered to overhaul big-ticket entitlement programs. Many Republicans say they are done raising revenue after letting taxes on top earners increase in December.

"I'll raise revenue. Will you reform entitlements?" Graham said in a challenge to the president on CNN. "And both together, we'll set aside sequestration in a way that won't disrupt the economy and hurt the Defense Department."

___

Associated Press writers Jim Kuhnhenn in Washington and Brock Vergakis in Norfolk, Va., contributed to this report.

___

Follow Nedra Pickler on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nedrapickler

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-02-26-Budget%20Battle/id-3d134d4bcb424ef89d38fcd60d014dbc

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Sony Xperia Tablet Z preview: a thin and light 10-inch Android Jelly Bean tablet

Notice the family resemblance? For Sony's latest Android tablet take, its Xperia Tablet Z, the company's extending the austere, omnibalance design (focus on all around symmetry and reflective surfaces) and waterproof certification of the Xperia Z to a 10.1-inch footprint and higher 1,920 x 1,200 resolution. Which means the unique, highly polarizing magazine-like fold of its predecessor, the Xperia Tablet S, has fallen by the wayside and, according to Sony, it's not likely to ever make a comeback. But a cosmetic evolution isn't all that's propping up the Xperia Tablet Z; its lightly-skinned Jelly Bean OS, quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU and 2GB of RAM ensure above average performance for this Sony tab. So how does this Z of another frame fare? Follow on, as we take it for a brief test run.

Gallery: Sony Xperia Tablet Z hands-on

Filed under: Tablets, Sony

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/qkKPEEwxrTo/

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Daniel Radcliffe Hopes He Won't 'Screw Up' Oscars Appearance

'It's going to be different,' the 'Harry Potter' star says of his special, surprise role in Sunday's ceremony.
By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Daniel Radcliffe attends the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards
Photo: Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702496/oscar-2013-daniel-radcliffe-presenter.jhtml

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Alt-week 2.24.13: Mapping the brain, discovering dark matter and our inevitable, grizzly end

Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days.

The discovery of what is hoped to be the Higgs boson was an exciting time for anyone with a curious mind. It turns out, that the price of knowledge is often a heavy one. Without putting too much of a negative spin on it... that teeny-weeny boson could predict bad news. On a lighter -- or is that darker -- note, other areas of science and technology bravely march ever-onward with the goal of a better understanding of life, the universe, and tattoos. This is alt-week.

Filed under: Science, Alt

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/DAGs4i4OaQs/

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Anne Hathaway Warms Up for Song One

Anne Hathaway will probably pick up her first Oscar on Sunday for her performance in Les Miserables.? Hathaway has entertained the possibility of continuing her singing performances in a stage or screen remake of My Fair Lady, and once upon a time she was attached to star in a Judy Garland biopic (we don?t know if she?s still on board).? No matter what happens with those projects, it looks like Hathaway?s next on-screen musical performance will be in Song One.? As we reported back in May 2012, Hathaway will produce and star, and according to Daily Mail, she?s having a song specifically written for her as well.? In the film, Hathaway plays an archeologist who falls for a rock star (British singer-actor Johnny Flynn) after she returns from a dig when her brother is injured in the U.S.? Kate Barker-Froyland will write and direct, and shooting is scheduled to begin this fall.? I hope Hathaway?s song is about archeology.? There is a noticeable dearth of songs about archeology.

Hathaway is also attached to star in a modern telling of The Taming of the Shrew.? She was also on board Steven Spielberg?s adaptation of Robopocalypse, but that film has gone ?back to the drawing board to see what is possible.?

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1926896/news/1926896/

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Rick Snyder: Detroit Emergency Manager Decision At Least Week Away, Says Michigan Governor

Protesters Hold Signs Outside Of Michigan Capitol

LANSING, MI, - DECEMBER 11: Union members from around the country rally at the Michigan State Capitol to protest a vote on Right-to-Work legislation December 11, 2012 in Lansing, Michigan. Republicans control the Michigan House of Representatives, and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has said he will sign the bill if it is passed. The new law would make requiring financial support of a union as a condition of employment illegal. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Protesters Flood Lansing

LANSING, MI, - DECEMBER 11: Union members from around the country rally at the Michigan State Capitol to protest a vote on Right-to-Work legislation December 11, 2012 in Lansing, Michigan. Republicans control the Michigan House of Representatives, and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has said he will sign the bill if it is passed. The new law would make requiring financial support of a union as a condition of employment illegal. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Protesters Flood The Capitol

Protesters gather for a rally at the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Protesters gather for a rally at the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

A protester walks past Michigan State Police at the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Sheet metal workers from Toledo escort an inflatable rat during a march to the State Capitol grounds in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation that was passed by the state legislature last week. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Thousands of supporters rally at the State Capitol grounds in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation that was passed by the state legislature last week. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Union members Brian Brissette, of Auburn, Mich., from left, Tom Gazley, of Romeo, Mich., and Eric Kozlow, of Warren, Mich., watch the Michigan House of Representatives vote on a television in the at the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Michigan State Police surround a man who was allegedly knocked off his segway scooter by a sheriff deputy on horseback during a rally on the State Capitol grounds in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation that was passed by the state legislature last week. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Protesters gather for a rally in the rotunda at the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Thousands of supporter march to the State Capitol grounds in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation that was passed by the state legislature last week. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Michigan State Police stand guard at an entrance to the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation that was passed by the state legislature last week. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Protesters gather for a rally in the rotunda at the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Protesters gather for a rally outside the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

RIGHT TO WORK

Map locating all U.S. states with right-to-work laws.

Tuesday Protests

People begin gathering outside on the State Capitol grounds in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012 to protest right-to-work legislation that was passed by the state legislature last week. Michigan will become the 24th right-to-work state, banning requirements that nonunion employees pay unions for negotiating contracts and other services. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Right to Work Michigan

A protester holds a sign addressed to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, who refers to himself as "one tough nerd."

State Police Brace For Protesters

Michigan State Police cruisers line the pedestrian walkway west of the state Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. Lansing authorities were bracing for an onslaught of protesters Tuesday. They increased police presence and planned road closings and parking restrictions around the Capitol for the planned protests against the Michigan legislature's right-to-work proposals which passed last week. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Right to Work Protesters

United Auto Workers protest right to work.

Tuesday Protesters

Thousands of protesters gather for a rally on the State Capitol grounds in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation that was passed by the state legislature last week. Michigan will become the 24th right-to-work state, banning requirements that nonunion employees pay unions for negotiating contracts and other services. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Michigan Nurses

About a dozen members of the Michigan Nurses Association stand on the state Capitol steps in Lansing, Mich., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, protesting right-to-work legislation. Organizers say the gathering was meant to symbolize the silencing of unions that nurses say will happen should the legislation become law.(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Silenced

Debbie Nault from the Michigan Nurses Association stands with other members of the association on the state Capitol steps in Lansing, Mich., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, protesting right-to-work legislation. Organizers say the gathering was meant to symbolize the silencing of unions that nurses say will happen should the legislation become law.(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Longtime Nurse Protests

Linda Erspamer a veteran nurse of more than 30 years at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, stands with other dozen members of the Michigan Nurses Association on the state Capitol steps in Lansing, Mich., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, protesting right-to-work legislation. Organizers say the gathering was meant to symbolize the silencing of unions that nurses say will happen should the legislation become law.(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Thousands Gather

Thousands of protesters gather for a rally on the State Capitol grounds in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation that was passed by the state legislature last week. Michigan will become the 24th right-to-work state, banning requirements that nonunion employees pay unions for negotiating contracts and other services. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Blocking RTW Banner

Protesters stand and block a right-to-work banner on the State Capitol grounds in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation that was passed by the state legislature last week. Michigan will become the 24th right-to-work state, banning requirements that nonunion employees pay unions for negotiating contracts and other services. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Holding The Flag

A protester holds an American flag at a rally on the State Capitol grounds in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Protesters In The Capitol

Protesters gather for a rally in the State Capitol rotunda in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Capitol Filled

Union workers fill the entire of the Capitol rotunda in Lansing, Mich., Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. Hundreds of chanting and cheering protesters streamed back into the Michigan Capitol after receiving a court order saying that the building must reopen. The pro-union crowd walked in as lawmakers were debating right-to-work legislation limiting union powers. The Republican-led House subsequently passed the bill with no Democratic support.

Led Away

Protesters are led out of the State Capitol Building in handcuffs after demonstrating against right-to-work legislation inside the Capitol in downtown Lansing, Mich. Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. Eight people were arrested for resisting and obstructing when they tried to push past two troopers guarding the Senate door, state police Inspector Gene Adamczyk said. The Capitol was temporarily closed because of safety concerns.

Handcuffed

Protesters are led out of the State Capitol Building in handcuffs after demonstrating against right-to-work legislation inside the Capitol in downtown Lansing, Mich. Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. Eight people were arrested for resisting and obstructing when they tried to push past two troopers guarding the Senate door, state police Inspector Gene Adamczyk said. The Capitol was temporarily closed because of safety concerns.

Blocked

State Police block protesters outside the Senate chamber at the State Capitol Building in downtown Lansing, Mich. Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. Eight people were arrested for resisting and obstructing when they tried to push past two troopers guarding the Senate door, state police Inspector Gene Adamczyk said. The Capitol was temporarily closed because of safety concerns.

Thumbs Down

David Dudenhoefer, left, a right to work supporter, receives a thumbs down sign from a union worker during a rally in Lansing, Mich., Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. Tensions rose at the Capitol late Wednesday afternoon when hundreds of union members packed into the rotunda area, blowing whistles and shouting slogans such as "Union buster" and "Right to work has got to go." Senate Republicans introduced right-to-work legislation in the waning days of the legislative session as outnumbered Democrats pledged to resist the proposal and say rushing it through would poison the state's political atmosphere.

Fed

Protesters eat pizza outside the Senate chamber at the State Capitol Building in downtown Lansing, Mich. Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. So-called right-to-work measures generally prohibit requiring unions from collecting fees from nonunion employees, which opponents say drains unions of money and weakens their ability to bargain for good wages and benefits. Supporters insist it would boost the economy and job creation.

Union Workers Rally

Union workers rally outside the Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012 as Senate Republicans introduced right-to-work legislation in the waning days of the legislative session. The outnumbered Democrats pledged to resist the proposal and said rushing it through the legislative system would poison the state's political atmosphere.

UAW President Bob King Waits

United Auto Workers President Bob King waits outside the Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012 as Senate Republicans introduced right-to-work legislation in the waning days of the legislative session. The outnumbered Democrats pledged to resist the proposal and said rushing it through the legislative system would poison the state's political atmosphere.

Rally Day

A union steel worker holds up a sign during a rally outside the Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012 as Senate Republicans introduced right-to-work legislation in the waning days of the legislative session. The outnumbered Democrats pledged to resist the proposal and said rushing it through the legislative system would poison the state's political atmosphere.

Sheet Metal Workers Bring GOP Rats to Protest

<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Paul_Pimentel"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1419408869/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Paul_Pimentel">Paul Pimentel</a>:<br />Sheet Metal Workers' Local 292 Detroit on RTW Protest 12/11/2012 Lansing, MI show our support Bob Donaldson Business Manager and Journeyman Earl Gray

The Welcoming Committee

<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Concernedwm"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Concernedwm">Concernedwm</a>:<br />Gov. Snyder took theses folks away from protecting the public to intimidate and inhibit the voice of the people. G. Hines

Protester Paula Merwin, of Leslie, Mich., stands with an American flag outside the George W. Romney State Building, where Gov. Snyder has an office in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Protester Blake Nance, of Detroit, stands by a line of Michigan State Police guarding the George W. Romney State Building, where Gov. Snyder has an office in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

A man covers his face after getting pepper sprayed during a protest outside the George W. Romney Office Building in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. Thousands of protesters rallied outside the state Capitol as lawmakers pushed final versions of right-to-work legislation. The GOP majority has used its superior numbers and backing from Gov. Rick Snyder to speed the legislation through the House and Senate last week, brushing aside denunciations and walkouts by helpless Democrats and cries of outrage from union activists who swarmed the state Capitol hallways and grounds. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

United we Bargain Divided We Beg!

<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Ryan_Van_Note"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1640357026/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Ryan_Van_Note">Ryan Van Note</a>:<br />Ryan VanNote protesting Right to work in Lansing, MI 12/11/12.

A protester rallies in front of Michigan State Police at the George W. Romney State Building, where Gov. Snyder has an office in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Michigan State Police push the crowd back outside the George W. Romney Office Building in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. Thousands of protesters rallied outside the state Capitol as lawmakers pushed final versions of right-to-work legislation. The GOP majority has used its superior numbers and backing from Gov. Rick Snyder to speed the legislation through the House and Senate last week, brushing aside denunciations and walkouts by helpless Democrats and cries of outrage from union activists who swarmed the state Capitol hallways and grounds. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Michigan State Police surround the George W. Romney State Office Building as thousands of protesters rally outside the state Capitol as lawmakers push final versions of right-to-work legislation in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The GOP majority has used its superior numbers and backing from Gov. Rick Snyder to speed the legislation through the House and Senate last week, brushing aside denunciations and walkouts by helpless Democrats and cries of outrage from union activists who swarmed the state Capitol hallways and grounds. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Protesters sit during a rally at the George W. Romney State Building, where Gov. Snyder has an office in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Michigan State Police push protesters away from the entrance of the George W. Romney State Building, where Gov. Snyder has an office in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Rev. Jesse Jackson, left, and Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, right, try to enter past Michigan State Police at the George W. Romney State Building, where Gov. Snyder has an office in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Michigan State Police carry a protester from a rally at the George W. Romney State Building, where Gov. Snyder has an office in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Drew Dobson, of Coleman, Mich., protests at a rally at the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)p

Protesters sit during a rally outside the doors of the George W. Romney State Building, where Gov. Snyder has an office in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/21/rick-snyder-detroit-emergency-manager_n_2736017.html

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Can Ethanol from Corn Be Made Sustainable?

The first biofuel plants are ready to make ethanol from the nonfood part of corn, but such cellulosic ethanol may falter if subsidies end

By David Biello

CELLULOSIC ETHANOL: Poet has begun harvesting cellulose--the stem, leaves and cob of corn plants--for use in a new facility the biofuel brewer is building in Emmetsburg, Ia. Image: ? Poet

A new plant is rising from the fields around Emmetsburg, Iowa?one that will ferment into ethanol the cobs, stems and husks of corn from nearly 50,000 hectares of farmland. Such cellulosic ethanol offers a way to get the energy and environmental security benefits of biofuels without disrupting the food supply when the edible corn itself is used.

"The facility will be operational in 2014," says Jeff Lautt, chief executive of Poet, LLC, one of the largest brewers of ethanol in the U.S. "We are on the doorstep of cellulosic ethanol, but don't pull the rug out from under us after we invest billions."

That rug, Lautt and others in the biofuel business worry, is the U.S. government removal of price support for cellulosic ethanol, among other alternative fuels. Already, this year many of the subsidies and supports enjoyed by the biofuel industry will expire?and critics have argued that all such supports under the 2005 Renewable Fuel Standard (amended in 2007) should be ended, especially for the bulk of ethanol produced today, which is brewed from the noncellulosic starch in corn kernels.

In the past few years the increasing use of corn for fuel, along with drought, has helped triple the price of corn globally. (The U.S. supplies 60 percent of the world?s exported corn.) Poet?s own corn ethanol brewing facility in Macon, Mo., has had to shut down because of tight supplies. "It's not that we can't get corn," Lautt explains. "It's that we can't get corn priced in a way that it is economically viable to continue."

The corn shortage exists despite the fact that between 2006 and 2011 U.S. farmers converted more than 530,000 hectares of land to growing the grain, according to a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on February 18. Those lands were not fertile soils but instead the kind of marginal lands that are prone to erosion?and the kind of runoff from cornfields that causes environmental problems like the oxygen-depleted waters, or "dead zone," in the Gulf of Mexico. Overall the U.S. now transforms roughly 40 percent of its national corn crop into the alcohol fuel.

In the last decade ethanol brewed from corn has come to supply 10 percent of the U.S. automotive fuel supply, some 50 billion liters per year. Critics argue that corn ethanol is now an established fuel and should no longer receive government support, which comes to roughly $7 billion annually, once tax credits, tariffs and other incentives are totaled. But Lautt points to ethanol forestalling the use of foreign oil as well as providing new revenues for North American farmers that make it possible to grow corn at a profit without direct subsidies. "We have an option [for fuel] for the first time in 100 years," he adds.

Although Lautt argues that ethanol from corn should continue indefinitely as part of the U.S. fuel mix, the U.S. Congress hoped to gradually replace it with the kind of cellulosic ethanol to be brewed at Poet?s Liberty facility in Emmetsburg over the course of the next decade. But quantities of cellulosic ethanol have consistently failed to meet expectations, perhaps because those expectations were set based on amounts of cellulosic material available on fields rather than the ability of technology at the time to turn biomass into fuel. "It's hard to predict technology development," Lautt admits.

There have been some pleasant surprises, such as Poet's ability to use more than just corn cobs. That, in turn, enables farmers to collect the stalks and other detritus from the fields with a simple baler for delivery to the Liberty facility. "You can take more trash off the field and get more density [in the bale of biomass] as well," Lautt says. At the same time, enough of the carbon-rich material is left behind to ensure continued soil fertility?the farmers produce nine metric tons of biomass per hectare but only harvest a ton for the cellulosic facility, according to Poet.

Although efforts to develop cellulosic ethanol in a big way continue to struggle, Lautt and his allies in the biofuel business would like to see more effort put into reconfiguring automobile engines to run on ethanol. If that happens, he argues: "I think we'll blow away the concept of electric vehicles."

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=2a3c0db2cfdd1a8545401d3b131f98c4

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Tampa Chapter of MOAA Announces Help for Active Duty Military Patients & Families Through Operation Helping Hand

The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Tampa Chapter provides compassionate assistance to active duty service members injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. Operation Helping Hand (Op HH) helps to make things a little easier for patients being cared for at James A. Haley Hospital in Tampa, Fla.

Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) February 21, 2013

The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Tampa Chapter provides compassionate assistance to active duty service members injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through an organization called Operation Helping Hand (Op HH), their focus is to make things a little easier for patients being cared for at James A. Haley Hospital in Tampa, Fla., by reducing stress for them and their families.

Op HH was started by its current Chairman, retired Navy Captain and MOAA Board member Robert J. Silah. This special project of the MOAA Chapter is operated by retired military officers and volunteers who gladly donate their time without any compensation.

?Operation Helping Hand recognizes the most important part of rehabilitation is having the love and support of family,? Silah said. ?That?s why our assistance ranges from roundtrip commercial air travel for immediate family members to visit and be with their injured loved ones to paying for rental cars, prepaid cell phones, comfort items and countless other helpful gestures.?

For almost nine years, Op HH has helped close to 1,000 of our active duty wounded and more than 1,300 of their family members. More than $1 million in checks and cash has gone to the patients and families along with such in-kind support as monthly gift bags, food and restaurant coupons, welcome kits, various gift cards and a range of other materials and services. For those who can, Op HH conducts outings to area sporting events like the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team and to see the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team play.

This mission has remained steady over the years and is growing. Since the start of the War on Terror, there has been a steady flow of wounded combat military getting treatment at Haley for their injuries. Many arrive in Tampa with debilitating wounds, including blindness, amputations, blast injuries, burns, and brain or spinal cord damage or a combination of these injuries referred to as Polytrauma.

Op HH holds monthly dinners at the Spinal Cord Injury Center honoring the active duty injured and wounded. It is a chance for the community to render the thanks of a grateful nation. Approximately 300 people attend these dinners to salute and applaud the warriors. There is great support from the Tampa community with many willing sponsors to underwrite the cost of the dinners.

Paying for all the assistance and support is not always easy.

?Thankfully, through modest fund-raising efforts Op HH has been and continues to be blessed with the generous contributions of individuals, corporations and associations,? Silah said. ?Many service organizations have stepped forward and presented checks to Op HH based on their own fund-raising campaigns. The many heartfelt thank you letters received from grateful patients and their families is the fuel that keeps Op HH going.?

For more information about Op HH, please visit http://www.operationhelpinghandtampa.com.

# # #

About MOAA:

Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) is the nation?s largest officers association with more than 380,000 members from every branch of service, including active duty, retired, National Guard, Reserve, and former officers and their families and survivors. MOAA is a nonprofit and politically nonpartisan organization and an influential force in promoting a strong national defense. MOAA represents the interests of service members and their families in every stage of their lives and careers, and for those who are not eligible to join MOAA, Voices for America?s Troops is a nonprofit MOAA affiliate that supports a strong national defense. For more information, visit http://www.moaa.org.

PR
Military Officers Association of America
703-838-0546
Email Information

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tampa-chapter-moaa-announces-help-active-duty-military-151825572.html

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Every TV Show Should Adopt 'Idol''s Sudden Death Night

Well, Idol fans, it's time to separate the wheat from the chaff. "There were some people who had great voices, but certain things didn't really mesh for everybody," said Mariah Carey near the end of Wednesday night's episode of American Idol (Fox, 8 p.m. ET, Wednesday and Thursday). "And they will have a chance outside of the competition." In other words, keep singing, folks -- just not here!  

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/why-every-tv-show-should-adopt-idols-sudden-death-night/1-a-522858?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Awhy-every-tv-show-should-adopt-idols-sudden-death-night-522858

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Woman Arrested For Having Sex With Pit Bull?Not The Rapper (VIDEO)

Woman Arrested For Having Sex With Pit Bull…Not The Rapper (VIDEO)

A Las Vegas woman was arrested Tuesday when a 23-year-old woman was having sex with her pet pit bull in her back yard in the broad daylight. Neighbors called the police on Kara Vandereyk, who was still having sexy time with her dog when police arrived on the scene. Police arrived to observe Kara Vandereyk ...

Woman Arrested For Having Sex With Pit Bull…Not The Rapper (VIDEO) Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/02/woman-arrested-for-having-sex-with-pit-bull-not-the-rapper-video/

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Warmer Waters Make Weaker Mussels

Mussels, ocean temperatures, climate change

More 60-Second Science

Subscribe via iTunes

When it comes to mussels, bigger isn?t necessarily better. Tiny fibers called byssals enable mussels?the shellfish kind?to anchor themselves to coastlines despite crashing ocean waves.

But new research shows that the attachment fibers weaken in warm water. A temperature rise of 15 degrees Fahrenheit lessens fiber strength by 60 percent, possibly causing them to fail completely. As climate change raises ocean temperatures, mussels may be forced to cooler waters.

Emily Carrington of the University of Washington presented the research at the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston:

"Researchers have dissected mussel beds and found, I think, upwards of 100 different species. So if the mussels go it really changes that community.

"We also eat mussels and so there?s applications in aquaculture. The way they grow mussels, is the mussels have to remain attached to the ropes on their long lines. So if the mussels fall off before the farmers return to reap their harvest, then they?ve lost a lot of money."

?Calla Cofield

[The above text is a transcript of this podcast]?

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=b4843ef2044fde9fd97a58a22c42a803

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Former Sheboygan mayor won't face jail time after Elkhart Lake bar incident

The former mayor of Sheboygan will not face jail time following an incident in a bar that cost him his job.

As part of a plea agreement, Bob Ryan pleaded no contest to two counts of disorderly conduct.

A judge requested he pay $200 in fines plus court costs.

The victim had her statement read in court, saying the incident has had a negative impact on her life, but she said the plea bargain brings her a small sense of peace and closure.

Ryan was charged with groping a woman while drunk at a bar in Elkhart Lake in 2011.

He was recalled from office shortly after the incident was made public.

Source: http://www.wisn.com/news/south-east-wisconsin/ozaukee-washington/Former-Sheboygan-mayor-won-t-face-jail-time-after-Elkhart-Lake-bar-incident/-/10151118/19008244/-/lqbdonz/-/index.html?absolute=true

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A look at Mandiant, allegations on China hacking

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A private technology security firm described in extraordinary detail efforts it blamed on a Chinese military unit to hack into 141 businesses, mostly inside the U.S., and steal commercial secrets. China denies the claim.

A look at the company, Mandiant, and why its report is significant:

?What is Mandiant?

Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., Mandiant was started in 2004 by Kevin Mandia, a retired Air Force officer who carved out a lucrative niche investigating computer crimes. Mandiant says it can detect and trace even quiet intrusions, such as the theft of employee passwords or trade secrets that a company otherwise might not be aware is happening.

Mandiant was most recently noted for its work in helping The New York Times trace an attack on its employees' computers to China, following a Times investigation into China's Premier Wen Jiabao. The newspaper publicly acknowledged Mandiant's role in the case.

?Are there other companies like Mandiant? Why not just call the FBI?

There are other companies that specialize in cybercrime response and forensics, including CrowdStrike, Kroll Advisory Solutions, and Stroz Friedberg in New York. Others specialize in establishing and testing a company's computer defenses and monitoring traffic to detect hackers or suspicious behavior.

Companies can be reluctant to call the FBI. Businesses don't want to hand over their most sensitive information ? including computers and proprietary data ? to the government and would rather maintain control of the investigation. Many companies are less concerned about tracing the origin of an attack than resuming business to make money. They also don't want their vulnerabilities discussed in a courtroom or leaked to news organizations or shareholders, which can happen if the government were involved. Companies like Mandiant have a big financial incentive ? and signed confidentiality promises ? to keep names of clients secret.

?What did Mandiant's report say? Why is it important?

Mandiant alleges that it has traced a massive hacking campaign on U.S. businesses to a drab, white 12-story office building outside Shanghai run by "Unit 61398" of the People's Liberation Army. The report contains some of the most extensive and detailed accusations on China's cybersnooping publicly available, including a timeline and details of malware used.

The U.S. government, including its intelligence agencies, almost certainly has similar and even more detailed information but it's regarded as highly classified. Being a private company, Mandiant doesn't have to keep its information secret, although it hasn't released the names of the companies attacked.

?Why did Mandiant publish its findings?

Mandiant says it was time to call out China for its systematic hacking and that releasing as many details as possible will help security professionals. It acknowledged in a statement that releasing the information was risky because it said the Chinese will change tactics now that some of its techniques are known. Mandiant also said it expects itself to be targeted, beyond what it described as an unsophisticated effort in April to trick some employees into installing malicious software disguised as a draft press release. "We expect reprisals from China as well as an onslaught of criticism," Mandiant wrote.

Mandiant has an obvious commercial interest in releasing the information, too. The company said its existing customers were already warned about and protected against the techniques it discovered, and it offered a free software tool to companies and organizations to detect suspicious activity. It puts Mandiant front-and-center at a critical time on a national debate about cybersecurity. Its founder testified earlier this month to the House Intelligence Committee on hacking threats. Last week, President Barack Obama signed an executive order aimed at improving government cooperation with industry, and Congress is weighing various legislative proposals on the matter.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/look-mandiant-allegations-china-hacking-185443417--finance.html

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Third Molars Illustrate Differential Reproduction

Physical anthropologist Alan Mann talked about third molars as a case study in human evolution at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston.

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Transcript to come.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=22dbfc598167823deebdfc53fbf89822

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ASK TOM: Bombing a tornado?

Posted on: February 16th, 2013 8:26 PM by CWC Staff

Dear Tom,

Would it be possible to break up a tornado by bombing it?

-- Janice Payne

?

Dear Janice,

Meteorologist Roger Edwards of the National Weather Service?s Storm Prediction Center offers these comments:

?The main problem with anything which could realistically stand a chance at affecting a tornado (e.g., hydrogen bomb) is that it would be even more deadly and destructive than the tornado itself. Lesser things (like huge piles of dry ice or smaller conventional weaponry) would be too hard to deploy in the right place fast enough, and would likely not have enough impact to affect the tornado much anyway. Imagine the legal problems one would face, too, by trying to bomb or ice a tornado, then inadvertently hurting someone or destroying private property in the process. In short ? bad idea!?

Source: http://blog.chicagoweathercenter.com/2013/02/16/ask-tom-bombing-a-tornado/

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Osborne: Don't use currencies for economic warfare

As the stricken?Carnival Triumph?is towed back to port in Mobile, Ala., the 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew members stranded aboard are understandably restless. They?ve been stuck on board the ship since Sunday morning, when a fire in the ship?s engine room knocked out its propulsion system, leaving it stranded in the Gulf of Mexico.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/osborne-dont-currencies-economic-warfare-051636257--finance.html

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Britain&#39;s New Self-Driving Car System Is Nothing ... - Business Insider

Move over into the slow lane, Google. Scientists at Oxford University have developed a self-driving car that can cope with snow, rain and other weather conditions not found in the search giant's home in California. The system can be fitted to existing cars and could one day cost just ?100.

Developed by a team led by professor Paul Newman at Oxford University, the new system has been installed in a Nissan Leaf electric car and tested on private roads around the university, will halt for pedestrians, and could take over the tedious parts of driving such as negotiating traffic jams or regular commutes.

The car alerts the driver when it is ready to take over - and by pressing a button on a screen, the driver can let the computer take the strain.

The search giant Google has been working on self-driving cars for years, and has now won approval for their use in the US states of Nevada and California. But so far it hasn't shown them off in the UK. By contrast, the Oxford system has been demonstrated on public roads ? and as long as there is a licenced driver in the driver's seat, "there's no obvious legal barrier to using it on roads now," professor Newman told the Guardian. "It's essentially an advanced driver assistance system."

Martin Spring of Lancaster, who co-authored a paper on the potential of driverless cars, said that in time they could radically transform how we think of road transport: "As with many technologies, the early implementation will try to mimic what has gone before. But once you shake off the constraint of it having to look like a car, you can envisage a very different vehicle: it could look like a small room where people do what they want while the car is moving. And if you don't need lights to navigate, you don't need streetlights. Or headlights."

Newman thinks that it could be only 15 years before self-driving systems become commonplace in cities as the price of installing the systems drops: "At present it costs about ?5,000, but we're working to reduce that to ?100," he said.

The car has been tested running at up to 40mph, said Newman.

Rather than using the GPS navigation system, which can be unreliable in cities where "urban canyons" caused by buildings block signals, and only accurate to a few metres, the British-developed system uses 3D laser scanning allied to computer storage to build up a map of its surroundings ? which is accurate to a few centimetres.

The auto-drive system works by recognising where it is, based on a laser scanner on the front of the car, comparing its surroundings to its stored data. That's different from Google's system, which uses a combination of GPS, laser guidance ? from a roof-mounted laser ? and mapping to determine its location and route.

The Oxford system, developed through funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, could be extended so that each car downloads data from passing cars, or over the internet via 3G and 4G connections to a central system. That would mean that the car wouldn't have to store data for the entire country at any time: "You don't go from London to Glasgow in a single hop. So as you're driving along, the car could download the new maps from the internet for the journey ahead."

Larry Page, Google's chief executive, believes self-driving cars have enormous economic and health implications: they should cut the number of road deaths, either through drivers' attention wandering, or through driving too close to other cars and being unable to react. Traffic would flow with fewer interruptions ? people might even prefer to send their car to drive around for a while rather than trying to find a parking place.

The technology giant already uses a self-driving car to impress guests: last year when Martin Sorrell of WPP Group was visiting the company, he was picked up from his hotel and delivered to Google's Mountain View headquarters 20 miles away by one of the cars. "It was pretty incredible," Sorrell told Fortune.

By contrast Newman's team has only been working on the scheme for two years, and only received the Nissan Leaf car in September. Yet it has been able to connect the computer control systems to its steering wheel, brakes and other systems. "Cars these days are pretty much fly-by-wire ? the computer controls it all," Newman said.

The computational power required to navigate is already cheaply available, as is the storage for the 3D maps that the car would use to figure out its location. "Our cities don't change very much, so robotic vehicles will see familiar structures and say 'I know this route - want me to drive?'"

But he emphasises that "it's not total autonomy for the car. It knows when things are good, and when the risks are reasonable, and then it will offer to take over." If the car can't make a match, it won't offer to drive ? and the decision is always the driver's, Newman emphasised.

"What I'm really proud of is that this is British technology and British intellectual property," he said. "It shows what a British university group can do when we put our minds to it."

Self-driving cars could save thousands of lives per year: in the UK, more than 2,000 people and in the US more than 30,000 people died in vehicle accidents last year.

This article originally appeared on guardian.co.uk

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/britains-new-self-driving-car-system-is-nothing-like-googles-2013-2

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Did you see Sen. Rand Paul's State of the Union Response? What did you think?...

Examining Senator Rand Paul?s (R-KY) State of the Union response

www.teapartypatriots.orgTuesday night, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) offered a full-throated defense of fiscal discipline and free markets in response to the President?s State of the Union address. Here is a quick take on the speech:

The Senator opened strong, supporting free markets and fiscal discipline, and hammering both p...

Source: http://www.facebook.com/teapartypatriots/posts/559263897426862

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Energy leaders unveil plan to double US productivity by 2030 ...

The Alliance Commission on National Energy Efficiency Policy released a report last week with recommendations that would put the U.S. on a path towards doubling its energy productivity by 2030.

The commission, which is chaired by U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) and National Grid U.S. President Tom King, is a diverse coalition of energy leaders that includes representatives from energy utilities, academia, industry and environmental groups. Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), serves on the commission.

The commission found that a doubling of energy productivity (or obtaining twice as much output from the energy we use) would reduce U.S. carbon dioxide pollution down to four billion tons per year by 2030, which is 33 percent below 2005 levels. The full report is available at energy2030.org.

?The Alliance Commission?s recommendations are an innovative approach to greatly increasing our nation?s use of energy efficiency, which represents a huge -- and largely untapped -- opportunity,? said Fred Krupp. ?Reducing wasted energy through efficiency is a true win-win solution that cuts harmful pollution and saves people money on their energy bills.?

The commission?s recommendations are wide-ranging, covering multiple sectors of the economy. The recommendations include: increased stringency of energy efficiency standards for buildings and appliances, creation of financing mechanisms that bring down the cost of energy efficiency projects, reform of utility regulatory policies to enable full use of cost-effective energy efficiency and greater support for research and development.

Achieving the commission?s goal of doubling energy productivity by 2030 would:

• Add 1.3 million jobs;
• Cut average household energy costs by more than $1,000 a year;
• Save American businesses $169 billion a year;
• Increase gross domestic product (GDP) by up to 2 percent;
• Decrease energy imports by more than $100 billion a year; and
• Reduce CO2 emissions by one-third.

EDF is particularly encouraged by the commission?s recommendations related to energy efficiency finance and smart grid policies, which are a high priority for EDF. The commission recommends that state and local governments work with utilities to create financing mechanisms, such as On-Bill Repayment (OBR)?programs. OBR provides a new route to funding clean energy investments at attractive terms, relying solely on private third-party financing.

Next page:? Envisioning the benefits

Source: http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/02/14/energy-leaders-plan-double-productivity

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MOND used to predict key property in Andromeda's satellites

Public release date: 14-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kevin Mayhood
kevin.mayhood@case.edu
216-368-4442
Case Western Reserve University

CLEVELAND Using modified laws of gravity, researchers from Case Western Reserve University and Weizmann Institute of Science closely predicted a key property measured in faint dwarf galaxies that are satellites of the nearby giant spiral galaxy Andromeda.

The predicted property in this study is the velocity dispersion, which is the average velocity of objects within a galaxy relative to each other. Astronomers can use velocity dispersion to determine the accelerations of objects within the galaxy and, roughly, the mass of a galaxy, and vice-versa.

To calculate the velocity dispersion for each dwarf galaxy, the researchers utilized Modified Newtonian Dynamics, MOND for short, which is a hypothesis that attempts to resolve what appears to be an insufficient amount of mass in galaxies needed to support their orbital speeds.

MOND suggests that, under a certain condition, Newton's law of gravity must be altered. That hypothesis is less widely accepted than the hypothesis that all galaxies contain unseen dark matter that provides needed mass.

"MOND comes out surprisingly well in this new test," said Stacy McGaugh, astronomy professor at Case Western Reserve. "If we're right about dark matter, this shouldn't happen."

McGaugh teamed with Mordehai Milgrom, the father of MOND and professor of physics and astrophysics at Weizmann Institute in Israel. Their study, "Andromeda Dwarfs in the Light of MOND" will be published in the Astrophysical Journal, and is posted on the electronic preprint archive http://arxiv.org/abs/1301.0822.

Astronomers and physicists need some way to explain why galaxies rotate faster than predicted by the law of gravity without flying apart. That spurred researchers to theorize that dark matter, first assumed by Dutch astronomer Jan Oort in 1932, is gathered in and around galaxies, adding the mass needed to hold galaxies together.

Dissatisfied with that hypothesis, Milgrom offered MOND, which says that Newton's force law must be tweaked at low acceleration, eleven orders of magnitude lower than what we feel on the surface of the Earth. Acceleration above that threshold is linearly proportional to the force of gravityas Newton's law statesbut below the threshold, is not, he posits. When the force law is tweaked under that limitation, the modification can resolve the mass discrepancy.

Early in his career, McGaugh believed in dark matter. But, over time, he's found the hypothesis comes up short in a number of aspects while he's found increasing evidence that supports MOND.

In this paper, researchers tested MOND with dwarf spheroidal galaxies. These very low-surface brightness galaxies are satellites of larger galaxies. By the standards of galaxies they are tiny, containing only a few hundred thousand stars.

"These dwarfs are spread exceedingly thin. Their light is spread over hundreds to thousands of light-years. These systems pose a strong test of MOND because their low stellar density predicts low accelerations," McGaugh said.

McGaugh and Milgrom used the luminosity of the galaxies, an indicator of stellar mass, and MOND to make their calculations and predict the velocity dispersions of 17 faint galaxies. In 16 cases, the predictions closely matched the velocity dispersions measured by others. In the last case, the data from independent observers differed from one another.

"Many predictions were bang on," McGaugh said. "Typically, the better the data, the better the agreement."

The scientists also used MOND to predict velocity dispersions for 10 more faint dwarf galaxies in Andromeda. They are awaiting measurements to refute or verify this prediction.

###

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?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 14-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kevin Mayhood
kevin.mayhood@case.edu
216-368-4442
Case Western Reserve University

CLEVELAND Using modified laws of gravity, researchers from Case Western Reserve University and Weizmann Institute of Science closely predicted a key property measured in faint dwarf galaxies that are satellites of the nearby giant spiral galaxy Andromeda.

The predicted property in this study is the velocity dispersion, which is the average velocity of objects within a galaxy relative to each other. Astronomers can use velocity dispersion to determine the accelerations of objects within the galaxy and, roughly, the mass of a galaxy, and vice-versa.

To calculate the velocity dispersion for each dwarf galaxy, the researchers utilized Modified Newtonian Dynamics, MOND for short, which is a hypothesis that attempts to resolve what appears to be an insufficient amount of mass in galaxies needed to support their orbital speeds.

MOND suggests that, under a certain condition, Newton's law of gravity must be altered. That hypothesis is less widely accepted than the hypothesis that all galaxies contain unseen dark matter that provides needed mass.

"MOND comes out surprisingly well in this new test," said Stacy McGaugh, astronomy professor at Case Western Reserve. "If we're right about dark matter, this shouldn't happen."

McGaugh teamed with Mordehai Milgrom, the father of MOND and professor of physics and astrophysics at Weizmann Institute in Israel. Their study, "Andromeda Dwarfs in the Light of MOND" will be published in the Astrophysical Journal, and is posted on the electronic preprint archive http://arxiv.org/abs/1301.0822.

Astronomers and physicists need some way to explain why galaxies rotate faster than predicted by the law of gravity without flying apart. That spurred researchers to theorize that dark matter, first assumed by Dutch astronomer Jan Oort in 1932, is gathered in and around galaxies, adding the mass needed to hold galaxies together.

Dissatisfied with that hypothesis, Milgrom offered MOND, which says that Newton's force law must be tweaked at low acceleration, eleven orders of magnitude lower than what we feel on the surface of the Earth. Acceleration above that threshold is linearly proportional to the force of gravityas Newton's law statesbut below the threshold, is not, he posits. When the force law is tweaked under that limitation, the modification can resolve the mass discrepancy.

Early in his career, McGaugh believed in dark matter. But, over time, he's found the hypothesis comes up short in a number of aspects while he's found increasing evidence that supports MOND.

In this paper, researchers tested MOND with dwarf spheroidal galaxies. These very low-surface brightness galaxies are satellites of larger galaxies. By the standards of galaxies they are tiny, containing only a few hundred thousand stars.

"These dwarfs are spread exceedingly thin. Their light is spread over hundreds to thousands of light-years. These systems pose a strong test of MOND because their low stellar density predicts low accelerations," McGaugh said.

McGaugh and Milgrom used the luminosity of the galaxies, an indicator of stellar mass, and MOND to make their calculations and predict the velocity dispersions of 17 faint galaxies. In 16 cases, the predictions closely matched the velocity dispersions measured by others. In the last case, the data from independent observers differed from one another.

"Many predictions were bang on," McGaugh said. "Typically, the better the data, the better the agreement."

The scientists also used MOND to predict velocity dispersions for 10 more faint dwarf galaxies in Andromeda. They are awaiting measurements to refute or verify this prediction.

###

---

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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/cwru-mut021413.php

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